The Best Low-FODMAP Meatballs

Have you ever come home from a busy day—a little later than you thought you’d be—and everyone is hungry, but you don’t have a clue what you can whip up quickly that will be filling and nutritious? Well, I have an idea for you! Make a large batch of these easy meatballs, cook them, and freeze them. On crazy nights, pull them out of the freezer, warm them up in a pot with low FODMAP marinara, pasta sauce, or gravy, and dinner is as good as done.

These delicious meatballs are a winner every time. They can be served with potatoes, rice, or pasta (gluten free for low FODMAP). Add gravy or a red sauce if you'd like—or not! They are delicious on their own. These meatballs fit perfectly into a low FODMAP diet.

This recipe takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook. If the meatballs are formed into 1-inch balls, you should get about 24 meatballs. A general serving is about 3 meatballs, or 3 ounces of protein.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (or elk or ground turkey)

  
  

  The first and most important ingredient of this recipe is the ground beef. At my house, we usually use ground elk meat. I’ve made these meatballs using both beef and elk, and they both taste great. You could also use ground turkey; however, I have not personally tried this. If you do prefer to use ground turkey, I recommend using chicken broth in place of the beef broth.

• 1/4 cup sourdough bread crumbs or GF breadcrumbs

  
  

  If you are currently following a low FODMAP diet, you are likely avoiding wheat products, as wheat contains fructans. If this is the case, you’ll want to use gluten-free bread crumbs. Another option is to use sourdough bread crumbs. The special thing about sourdough is that the dough is fermented, which means that the sugar molecules (including fructans) are consumed by the bacteria in the sourdough starter, creating a low FODMAP dough made from wheat. I have made spelt sourdough breadcrumbs, and the flavor they added was amazing! [My sourdough breadcrumb recipe coming soon!]. If you have completed phases 1 and 2 of the low FODMAP diet and determined that fructans are not a triggering FODMAP for you, then go ahead and use any kind of breadcrumb you prefer.

• 1 egg

  
  

  An important ingredient for binding the meat and other ingredients together and helping the mixture hold its shape. There is an egg allergy at my house so I usually leave this ingredient out and it works okay!

• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

  
  

  Parmesan cheese is a low FODMAP food. In 100 grams of Parmesan cheese, there is less than 0.25 grams of lactose, which is very little. Per the Monash FODMAP App, up to 500 grams of Parmesan cheese is considered low FODMAP—that’s equivalent to about 5 1/2 cups of cheese!

• 1/2 cup beef broth (divided)

• 1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk alternative)

  
  

  These liquid ingredients are important for adding flavor and moisture to the meatballs. The liquid from the broth and milk is absorbed by the breadcrumbs, helping the meatballs stick together and stay moist and tender.

• 1 tablespoon dried parsley

• 3/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• 1/2 teaspoon oregano

• 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

  
  

  These remaining ingredients provide flavor. If you like a little spicy kick, feel free to add the red pepper flakes. If you prefer using fresh herbs, substitute with 3 tablespoons of fresh parsley and 1 1/2 teaspoons of fresh oregano. (I have not tried fresh herbs in this recipe, but they should work well.)

Preparation

The hardest part of this recipe is remembering to pull the ground meat out of the freezer ahead of time so it can thaw. If you just bought your meat from the store and it is already thawed, then you don’t need to worry about this step.

Thawing Meat Safely(1):

1. In the Refrigerator: Place the meat in the fridge at least 24 hours before you plan to cook it. Be sure to place it on a plate or tray to catch any juices and store it on the bottom shelf to avoid contaminating other foods.

2. In Cold Water: Put the meat in a waterproof package or plastic bag and submerge it in a sink filled with cold water. Change the water every 30 minutes. It takes about 1 hour to thaw 1 pound of meat this way. Cook the meat immediately after thawing.

3. In the Microwave: Defrosting meat in the microwave is the quickest method, but it can negatively affect the flavor. Cook the meat right away after using this method to prevent bacterial growth.

Before you begin making the meatballs, preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 

In a medium bowl add meat, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons beef broth, egg, parsley, almond milk, salt, pepper, oregano, and pepper flakes (optional).

With clean hands (or gloved hands if you prefer), mix ingredients until combined and form into 1-1 1/2 inch circles (or 1 ounce meatballs). Place on a greased baking sheet. Don’t forget to wash your hands with soap and warm water after this part! Pour the reserved beef broth (~1/3 cup or 6 tablespoons) onto the baking sheet.

Bake at 450 degrees F for about 15-20 minutes or until the internal temperature of the meatballs is 160 degrees F.

Enjoy with potatoes, rice or gluten free pasta! 

References 

1. Food Safety and Inspection Service. The big thaw-safe defrosting methods. U.S. Department of Agriculture. https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/big-thaw-safe-defrosting-methods. Updated June 15, 2013. Accessed Jan 22, 2025.